Real Life Counseling | by The Counseling Corner cover art

Real Life Counseling | by The Counseling Corner

Real Life Counseling | by The Counseling Corner

By: Dr. Ernie Reilly LCSW (Founder of The Counseling Corner est. 1998)
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What is counseling really like? How do you know when it’s time to get help, and what happens once you do? On Real Life Counseling, David Morillo and Dr. Ernie, LCSW (founder of The Counseling Corner, est 1998), explore practical questions and honest answers about counseling and taking care of your mental health. If you’re navigating anxiety, grief, marriage struggles, raising a child who might need support, or you just have some questions, this show will help you feel informed and empowered. For more resources, visit https://www.counselingcorner.netDr. Ernie Reilly, LCSW (Founder of The Counseling Corner, est. 1998)
Episodes
  • How Trauma Therapy Helps Children Heal — And What It Looks Like in Real Life

    How Trauma Therapy Helps Children Heal — And What It Looks Like in Real Life
    May 19 2026
    In this episode of Real Life Counseling, Ryan is joined by Dr. Ernie Reilly, LCSW, Amanda Riendeau, LMHC, and Andreina Bello, LMHC from The Counseling Corner to talk about childhood trauma, how it can show up in children, and how child trauma therapy can help kids begin to heal.Many parents hear the word trauma and think only of major catastrophic events, but trauma in children can also come from experiences like divorce, conflict at home, bullying, grief, medical experiences, abuse or neglect, instability, natural disasters, or other overwhelming situations. For children, trauma often shows up through behavior before it shows up in words. A child may become angry, defiant, clingy, fearful, withdrawn, regressive, or suddenly overwhelmed by things that seem small from an adult perspective.The conversation explains how therapy for childhood trauma is different from therapy for adults. Children may not be ready or able to talk directly about what happened, so therapists often use play, art, connection, emotional safety, and gentle observation to help children process painful experiences in a way their nervous system can handle. The goal is not to force children to relive trauma, but to help them feel safe, supported, understood, and gradually more in control.Parents will also hear practical ways to support healing at home, including creating predictable routines, staying calm during big emotions, acknowledging what the child is feeling, and avoiding the urge to minimize or rush past the child’s experience.Key Takeaways:Childhood trauma is not only about what happened; it is about how the child experienced and processed what happened.Children often communicate trauma through behavior, body language, play, emotions, sleep changes, clinginess, anger, regression, or withdrawal.Two children can experience the same event and respond very differently based on age, development, temperament, support systems, and prior experiences.Child trauma therapy often looks different from adult trauma therapy because children process through play, connection, safety, and emotional regulation more than direct verbal processing.A child does not need to repeatedly retell a painful story for therapy to be effective.Talking about trauma does not automatically make it worse when it is done safely, gently, and at the child’s pace.Kids are resilient, but resilience does not mean they should have to “just bounce back” without support.Healing at home begins with emotional and physical safety, predictable routines, calm parenting, and helping children feel seen rather than managed.Parents should avoid minimizing a child’s experience with phrases like “you’re fine” or “it wasn’t that big of a deal.”Therapy for childhood trauma can help children regain a sense of safety, control, and connection after overwhelming experiences.REAL LIFE COUNSELING — LISTEN NOWSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4oUv25gP3n01Gtf3xpoBjU?si=6d3092fff5794b8d Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/4ohRxq2 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheCounselingCornerFL THE COUNSELING CORNER — ⁠CONTACT US Website: www.counselingcorner.net Phone: 407-843-4968 Email: info@counselingcorner.net Address: 1631 Hillcrest St., Orlando, FL 32803FOLLOW US:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/counselingcornerorlando/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1631CounselingCorner Meet Our Counselors: Dr. Ernie Reilly, LCSWDr. Judi Allen, LCSWAndreina Bellow, LMHCAmanda Riendeau, LMHCMichael Bombka, LMHCMichelle Buchanan, LMHCWalter Echols, LCSWGeorge Allmaras, LMHCAlejandra Rios, MA, RMHCI
    Show More Show Less
    29 mins
  • Is My Child’s Behavior Normal? Signs You Should Consider Therapy

    Is My Child’s Behavior Normal? Signs You Should Consider Therapy
    May 19 2026

    In this episode of Real Life Counseling, Ryan talks with Dr. Ernie Reilly, LCSW, Amanda Riendeau, LMHC and Andreina Bello, LMHC from The Counseling Corner about a question many parents ask: Is my child’s behavior normal, or is it a sign they may need therapy?

    The conversation explores common concerns like big meltdowns, clinginess, stomach aches before school, sudden withdrawal, emotional outbursts, bedwetting, panic, perfectionism, and behavior changes after stressful events. The team explains how parents can use five practical filters — frequency, intensity, duration, daily functioning, and change from baseline — to better understand what their child’s behavior may be communicating.

    This episode also gives parents a clear look at what child therapy, play therapy, and therapy for kids can actually look like. Rather than being a punishment or a sign that something is “wrong,” therapy can give children a safe, age-appropriate way to express feelings through conversation, play, art, movement, and connection.

    Key Takeaways:

    • Not all child behavior is a problem to fix; sometimes behavior is a signal to understand.
    • Parents should compare a child’s behavior to that child’s normal baseline, not to siblings or other kids.
    • The five helpful filters are frequency, intensity, duration, functioning, and change from baseline.
    • Physical symptoms like stomach aches or headaches before school can sometimes point to stress or anxiety.
    • Long tantrums, major behavior shifts, panic symptoms, or changes that affect school, sleep, eating, friendships, or home life may be worth exploring with a therapist.
    • Child therapy often involves both the parent and child, especially in the first session.
    • Play therapy helps kids communicate feelings they may not have the words to explain yet.
    • Therapy for kids is not punishment; it is support for the child and the family.
    • Parents can start by connecting before correcting and getting curious about what the behavior may be saying.


    REAL LIFE COUNSELING — LISTEN NOW

    Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4oUv25gP3n01Gtf3xpoBjU?si=6d3092fff5794b8d

    Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/4ohRxq2

    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheCounselingCornerFL


    THE COUNSELING CORNER — CONTACT US

    Website: www.counselingcorner.net

    Phone: 407-843-4968

    Email: info@counselingcorner.net

    Address: 1631 Hillcrest St., Orlando, FL 32803


    FOLLOW US: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/counselingcornerorlando/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1631CounselingCorner


    Meet Our Counselors:

    Dr. Ernie Reilly, LCSW

    Dr. Judi Allen, LCSW

    Andreina Bellow, LMHC

    Amanda Riendeau, LMHC

    Michael Bombka, LMHC

    Michelle Buchanan, LMHC

    Walter Echols, LCSW

    George Allmaras, LMHC

    Alejandra Rios, MA, RMHCI
    Show More Show Less
    35 mins
  • Adult Depression in Real Life: The Hidden Forms No One Talks About

    Adult Depression in Real Life: The Hidden Forms No One Talks About
    Apr 20 2026

    Depression does not always look like sadness. In this episode, Ryan Simpson is joined by Dr. Ernie Reilly, LCSW Dr. Judi Allen, LCSW, and Ale Rios, RMHCI to explore the hidden forms of adult depression, including high-functioning depression, irritability, numbness, burnout confusion, and achievement-driven depression. They discuss how depression can show up even when someone is still working, parenting, and getting things done, and what depression counseling can actually do to help. If you have ever wondered whether what you are feeling is “just life” or something more, this conversation offers clarity, compassion, and practical next steps.Key Takeaways

    • Depression can be present even when someone is still functioning, working, parenting, and checking all the boxes.
    • High-functioning depression often hides behind productivity, responsibility, and outward competence.
    • Depression does not always look like sadness. It can also look like irritability, numbness, exhaustion, disconnection, and loss of interest.
    • One helpful way to distinguish burnout from depression is whether rest and a change of pace actually improve how you feel.
    • Numbness can be a protective response, but when it becomes chronic, it may be a sign that something deeper is going on.
    • Achievement-driven depression can develop when a person’s worth becomes tied to performance, output, or external success.
    • Depression often attacks motivation first, making even simple tasks feel heavier and harder than they should.
    • Therapy can help even if you do not know exactly why you feel the way you do.
    • Counseling is not just “talking about feelings.” It can include practical tools, thought patterns, behavior activation, self-care work, and evidence-based approaches like CBT and somatic therapy.
    • Small internal shifts matter, including talking to yourself with more compassion, separating your worth from your productivity, and asking “What am I responding to?” instead of “What’s wrong with me?”

    THE COUNSELING CORNER — CONTACT US

    Website: www.counselingcorner.net

    Phone: 407-843-4968

    Email: info@counselingcorner.net

    Address: 1631 Hillcrest St., Orlando, FL 32803


    FOLLOW US:

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/counselingcornerorlando/

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1631CounselingCorner


    Meet Our Counselors:

    Dr. Ernie Reilly, LCSW

    Dr. Judi Allen, LCSW

    Andreina Bellow, LMHC

    Amanda Riendeau, LMHC

    Michael Bombka, LMHC

    Michelle Buchanan, LMHC

    Walter Echols, LCSW

    George Allmaras, LMHC

    Alejandra Rios, MA, RMHCI
    Show More Show Less
    45 mins
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